Tuesday, November 13, 2012

In order to continue to provide states that are pursuing
state-based exchanges with appropriate technical support, the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) is extending the deadline for blueprint
applications to Friday, December 14. Originally states had to provide federal
regulators a blueprint by November 16, as outlined in HHS' final rule. The deadline for a declaration letter for a state-based exchange
remains Friday, November 16, 2012. In a November 9 letter sent to governors, HHS says it will approve or conditionally
approve the state-based exchanges for 2014 by the statutory deadline of January
1, 2013.

HHS will accept declaration letters and blueprint applications for
states that are pursuing state partnership exchanges and make approval
determinations on a rolling basis. The final deadline for both the declaration letter
and blueprint that would be effective for 2014 has been extended to Friday,
February 15, 2013, says the letter. States will be able to apply to run these exchanges
in subsequent years.

Most
qualified health plans offered in exchanges must include the 10 categories of essential health benefits
(EHB) mandated by the Affordable Care Act, which include rehabilitative and
habilitative services. HHS is expected to release the final rule on EHB in the
near future.